FOLLOWING the launch of the Eastern Security Network (ESN) by the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), a pan-Igbo group, the Movement Against Dissidents in Nigeria, on Monday urged the Federal Government to initiate the process of extraditing IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu.
At a briefing in Owerri, the Imo State capital, its co-convener, Obinna Osita, said Kanu should be brought home to answer to alleged offences committed against Ndigbo through IPOB.
He lamented that Kanu and IPOB had been “thriving on their kinsmen’s blood to maintain their profligate lifestyle that entices you to shed more Igbo blood”
According to him, statistics shows that since IPOB started operations, 28,000 “indoctrinated and brainwashed” Igbo youths have been killed.
He also alleged that no fewer than 30,000 Igbo youths are currently languishing in different jails in Nigeria for violence and civil disobedience.
Osita added that IPOB has created more than 30,000 widows among Igbo daughters and that Kanu had rendered old fathers and mothers childless, forcing 45,000 children to drop out of school, having made them fatherless.
“IPOB has some set of reckless, gullible, ignorant and untrained minds called members.
“We must caution here that if this group of untrained and bigoted minds is encouraged by Nnamdi Kanu to carry assault rifles and other weapons and unleash them on Nigerians, we are doomed in this country with a new set of dangerous militia group in Eastern Nigeria,” the group said.
Ta he group maintained that Kanu has never spoken for Ndigbo and does not have any authority to do so because he “lacks the credibility to demand a new independent state of Biafra with the manner he goes about it”.
Ndigbo, he stated, could lose their over $1.5 trillion investment in the North and South because of Kanu’s antics and daily drums of war.
But Kanu, in a statement on Sunday, said IPOB does not need the approval of Southeast governors to run the security outfit.
Southeast Governors Forum Chairman and Ebonyi State Governor David Umahi had described the IPOB vigilante group as “very laughable and should be totally ignored”.
Reacting, Kanu accused the governors of being against the wish of the masses, describing their disapproval of the outfit as “very shameful” and “cowardly”.
He said: “They only further exposed their emptiness and detachment from the people.
“At a time when well-meaning individuals and groups from entire Southern Nigeria and Middle Belt are hailing the setting up of ESN, the so-called governors are busy advertising their opposition to the people they claim to be leading.
“Anyway, they never had the mandate of the people. So, we are not surprised.
“The train has since left the station and can’t reverse its course. It’s pretty too late to have a rethink.
“The people have got what they long desired which the cowardly governors failed to give them because of selfish political interest.”

By Damian Duruiheoma